<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bachelor Party by TheArtOfBlossoming</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26468401">Bachelor Party</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtOfBlossoming/pseuds/TheArtOfBlossoming'>TheArtOfBlossoming</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Multi, Swearing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:47:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26468401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtOfBlossoming/pseuds/TheArtOfBlossoming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer, 2067. Vincent 'Nate' Hudson is due to marry Nora soon and his cousin Vaughn has arranged a bachelor party for him. </p>
<p>A Fallout 4 origin story with a few game references.</p>
<p>It wasn't just the war that left scars.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nate/Nora (Fallout)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bachelor Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/8280622">Vincent, Redefined</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtOfBlossoming/pseuds/TheArtOfBlossoming">TheArtOfBlossoming</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Co-written by @radioactive-synth (Tumblr) as her OC Vaughn Zander.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was August, 2067. China had invaded Alaska just the year before and Vin knew that his nuptial leave would be over all too soon. He and Nora were to be wed in September, so his loving cousin threw a bachelor party in late August.</p>
<p>Vaughn had persuaded Sparks to host the party. He had a lovely house on the edge of a Boston suburb, lived alone and most importantly, had a garden. He'd told Vaughn that he owned a barbecue but when Vaughn arrived first, he found it was still in its box, unassembled…</p>
<p>'It came with an instruction manual, right?'<br/>
Sparks nodded and handled him a paper, but all Vaughn could understand was that all the parts had letters and needed to combine with the numbers. Two minutes passed, and he felt even more confused. He never understood mechanics, and the grill was no exception. If only Vinnie was here...</p>
<p>"Well, can you do it?" Sparks asked.</p>
<p>Vaughn sighed. 'It would be easier to disassemble and assemble a human body than this."</p>
<p>Sparks threw Vaughn a look that was either confused or scared. Maybe both, he couldn't tell.</p>
<p>'Don't give me that look, we didn't do that at med school... yet. I guess we just leave it to the end until someone else shows up.'</p>
<p>"Fine, fine. Hey gimme a hand with setting the glasses out. I got Gwinnetts, Whiskey, Vodka, fruit juice to mix..."<br/>
Just then a car engine roared into the drive and a grinning, mahogany-skinned man got out, along with a skinny, pale blonde man wearing a lazy smirk.<br/>
"J.J.! Fischer! Just in time, guys. We need backup!" Sparks shouted.</p>
<p>'You seem to have everything set up, why d'you need help?' Fischer asked as he looked around.</p>
<p>"It's this fraggin' grill, man. I thought it would just, like, pop up outta the flat pack but it's got so many pieces!" Sparks groaned.<br/>
"You know who you need," J.J. said, leaning in close to Vaughn. "Bachelor Boy himself! Nate can fix anything!"</p>
<p>It took Vaughn a few seconds to realise who the 'Nate' J.J. refered to was. Right. The army boys called him by his middle name now, just because there was already a 'Vincent' in the squad that Vinnie couldn't stand. </p>
<p>'He should be here in another 30 minutes, if the traffic is fine. Let us set the table'.</p>
<p>J.J. sidled up to Vaughn, bearing utensils. "Hey, Zed, so...Tomcat not in the picture no more?"</p>
<p>Vaughn was arranging the plates on the table, but avoided J.J.'s eyes. How could he explain that they can't be together? How to explain that he is terrified that his father would have found out about their relationship? Instead, he just said: 'Tom has other plans to make, I have mine. Neither include both of us. It is fine.'<br/>
It was not, but he tried his best to hide it. It was, after all, Vin's day before the big day.</p>
<p>J.J. looked furtively around and seeing that Sparks and Fischer had gone inside to sort out snacks, risked brushing his hand against Vaughn's as he passed the spoons. "Well, if you ever need some...company, you know where to find me." He huffed and added quietly. "Look, I know you know I fancied him, Vinnie I mean. And I seen how you look at Nora. Maybe we should just...?"</p>
<p>Vaughn gave him a confused look, one eyebrow raised. Whatever J.J. had suggested, he hadn't understood at first. Yes, he knew that J.J. fancied Vin, he'd tried to get them together years ago with no success. And yes, he had feelings for Nora, but he knew that she was out of his reach now. </p>
<p>'I don't really follow what are you saying, Vaughn said. </p>
<p>His mom was right: Americans think we can read each other's minds instead of just saying what they are thinking out loud.</p>
<p>"I'm flirting with you, Zed. For a bright guy, you sure are a dumbass sometimes."</p>
<p>Vaughn felt how anger took the place of confusion in just a matter of seconds. If they weren't at a party, he would have cut J.J. with his words. Instead, he just exhaled air through his nose a bit loudly and adjusted his glasses. </p>
<p>'Maybe you can make yourself more useful and go help the others. I got the rest', he said, trying to keep his tone neutral.</p>
<p>"Zed... Vaughn, hey no need to get upset, man." J.J. tried to very gently place a hand on Vaughn's arm. It had taken him a while to work up the courage to even suggest this. He didn't want Vaughn to think that he was his second choice. He didn't budge.</p>
<p>Vaughn brushed off J.J.'s hand from his shoulder, still avoiding his gaze.<br/>
'If I want to hear insults, I'll just talk to my father. Excuse me but I need to go and check if Vinnie's arrived.'</p>
<p>He knew that it would be another five minutes before Vin got there, but he needed a bit of time on his own to calm down. He didn't want his cousin to see him distressed on this of all days. </p>
<p>What did J.J. even think he could obtain? He couldn't be with Tom because of society and his father's judgement. Why would things be different with another man? </p>
<p>He took a deep breath and counted to ten, then removed his glasses to run his hand over his eyes, trying to avoid the incoming headache.<br/>
There was the unmistakable roar of an engine. That must be the Mistress. Vaughn forgot about his own thoughts as he saw his cousin approaching.</p>
<p>J.J. shook his head in disbelief and headed to the beer cooler. </p>
<p>The distant engine roar became louder as it approached, too loud in fact to be a single engine. Three motorbikes pulled up in Sparky's driveway, one a midnight blue, one a gleaming black and one bright red. The Mistress of Mystery. Vincent 'Nate' Hudson stopped the engine and swung a leg over the back to land on the ground with an excited jump. He immediately looked for his cousin in the small group of men headed his way.</p>
<p>He strode toward Vaughn and with a horseshoe moustache-framed grin, wrapped him in a bearhug, lifting him ever so slightly off the ground. "Vonnieeee!"</p>
<p>'Good to see you, Vinnie', Vaughn said as he was freed from the hug, and put one hand onto his cousin's shoulder. He couldn't resist a grin too. 'How are you feeling?'</p>
<p>"Absolutely fuckin' terrified and head over heels all at once!" admitted Vin with his usual straightforwardness.</p>
<p>Vincent introduced his biker friends. The old guy with a long, hooked nose, white beard and sharp eyes smiled and held out a hand. " 'Course you met ol' Ike before, fellas." Vin reminded them. "An' this here is Grizzo." </p>
<p>The scowling rotund guy hidden beneath a full, bushy brown beard and long wavy hair that was tamed into a ponytail instantly transformed into a teddy bear when he smiled. "Hey, good ta meet you fellahs. Tumblah  here has told us all about ya," Grizzo announced in a strong South Boston accent.</p>
<p>Vin sniffed the air. "I don't smell barbecue yet, what's goin' on? We're starved!"</p>
<p>'And this is where you come in to rescue us!', Vaughn exclaimed in a exaggerated tone. </p>
<p>"Rescue you, from what?" Vin asked, puzzled. He noticed J.J.'s awkward body language as the guy stood behind them swigging his beer and threw Vaughn a questioning look.</p>
<p>'The barbeque. None of us know how to install it. All that mechanical stuff and whatever is in that manual. You are the only one who can assemble it.'</p>
<p>Vin erupted in a bellylaugh. "Damn, you mean the Military Engineer has to assemble the grill before the cook will get to work?" He glanced over at the box. "Ten minutes, tops. Hey, Grizzo, can I borrow your toolkit?" </p>
<p>It took Vin just eight minutes to get the orange metal grill assembled and before long, the smell of barbecued chicken and salisbury steaks filled the air. Fischer cranked up the radio.</p>
<p>Vin - or should that be Tumbler (his biker name, inspired by the fact that he was a skilled gymnast in college and that <i>one</i> time he fell off his bike, rolled and recovered to a standing position as if nothing had happened, not to mention being handy with a lockpick) - shed his biker leathers.</p>
<p>The seven men made short work of the food. Vin, now lounging on the lawn, asked Vaughn what was next.</p>
<p>Vaughn cleaned his hands before reaching into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small list. He heard Vin and some others snickering, but he didn't paid that any mind. </p>
<p>'We can gather the empty bottles and shoot them with the bb guns I rented from the store, so you better take care of those. Then Fischer can bring the poker set and play some, and later if you are still thirsty, there is still the beer pong. We can think of other activities if there is still time.'</p>
<p>"You rented bb's! Man, we haven't had a good bb battle since you were, what, fourteen?"</p>
<p>Fischer leaned on the nearby table. "I don't care that you're the groom-to-be, Nate, I'm gonna wipe the floor with you at poker."</p>
<p>Vin ('Nate') just grinned. "There's nobody with a better poker-face than Vonnie here though, Fish," Vin's grin slipped and worry lines creased his brow , "though Nor and I have to pay the deposit on the apartment next week. Can we play for counters instead?"</p>
<p>Old Ike punched Vin's shoulder. "How 'bout bottlecaps boys? We've popped a bunch already. Plus I got my stash I'm savin' fer that competition my niece said is comin' out soon."</p>
<p>"What, the doll that works at Nuka World?" Sparks asked.</p>
<p>"Yeah, Janey. They've just opened Safari Kingdom, she says."</p>
<p>Vin turned to Vaughn. "Ike's only goin' in for the competition 'cause one of the prizes is a Lone Wanderer in Nuka Red."</p>
<p>Vaughn won the largest pile of poker caps. J.J. had gone from surly to joker after having drunk a few beers too many. </p>
<p>"I could go for another steak, guys. Got any left?" asked Vin.</p>
<p>'I will get the next batch now', Vaughn offered, making his way to the cooler.<br/>
J.J. was sitting next to the cooler, another beer in his hand. Was it the fourth or the sixth? Vaughn lost count during the poker game. He was still upset at him and tried to avoid looking in his direction when he opened the cooler.</p>
<p>'You finally made up your mind, then', J.J. said in a mocking but slurred tone.</p>
<p>Vaughn ignored him as he took what he came for and arranged the new batch for barbeque. It would take a while for the meat to be cooked.</p>
<p>Vin sauntered over. "What's buzzin', cuzzin? Hey, lemme cook for a bit? You know I'm fussy 'bout how I like my steaks done."</p>
<p>'Medium rare, sure', Vaughn said, letting Vin take over. 'Who is ready for some shooting? Sparks, arrange the bottles while I get the bb guns from my car.'</p>
<p>"Sure thing, Vaughn."</p>
<p>John-Jules staggered over to Vincent. "Nate! Buddy! So you gonna be tied down soon, man. How's it feel? Your wings sore from the clippin' already?"</p>
<p>Vin grinned at his old friend. "Far from it, J.J.! I feel as light as a feather! Nora's going to make me the happiest man on Earth in just over a week's time. Heck, I'm over the moon now. Wasn't sure she was gonna say 'Yes', to be honest."</p>
<p>"Cockypop," slurred his friend, which made Ike, Grizzo and Fischer burst out in raucous laughter along with Vin, "Ain't nobody could say no to that handsome mug."</p>
<p>Vin turned the steak, hoping the heat from the grill would excuse his blush. J.J. swigged the last of his current beer.</p>
<p>" 'Pparently mine is all <i>too</i> easy to say no t…" as he leaned in and raised his voice, he gesticulated wildly with his arms. His sleeve caught the back edge of the grill lid, pushing it forward. There should have been a restraining bolt there but Vin had been too hungry and too cocky, confident in his own practical abilities but distracted by the high-spirits of his own bachelor party. </p>
<p>J.J. fell forward, arms flailing up, shearing the orange metal lid whose sharp edge flew up toward Vin's face and made a slicing contact.</p>
<p>"FUCKNUKE!" Vin yelled in shock. "MOTHERDICK!  My face!" A bloody red line appeared, running from Vin's hairline, down past his screwed-up left eye all the way down his cheek to the level just below his bottom lip. He sat down hard on the grass right next to where the cooling steak had landed.</p>
<p>Vaughn stopped halfway towards his car when he heard Vin yelling. He turned back and saw his cousin on the ground, holding his face and the grill in pieces.<br/>
'VINNIE?' he called, running back to him. The other men gathered around, Grizzo holding Vin by his shoulders. </p>
<p>'What happened?' he asked as he got down on one knee in front of his cousin, who was still swearing.</p>
<p>J.J. was shakily backing off, his hands up in surrender. He backed right into Ike who steered him into a chair and made sure he stayed there. </p>
<p>Fischer and Grizzo started talking at the same time but when Vin threw a one-eyed glare at Fischer, who knew J.J. well enough to be blamed for not keeping a closer eye on him, he clammed shut and Grizzo explained.</p>
<p>'Get me a clean towel now', Vaughn requested. 'Vinnie, it is ok, let me see.'</p>
<p>Fischer rushed off to look for a clean towel and Sparks having caught up with proceedings pointed the way.</p>
<p>"Fuckit! Vonnie, I can't tell if it caught my eye, the whole side o' my face is on fire!" He didn't try to get up but leaned forward, against Vaughn's restraint, to point an angry finger at his drunken friend. "Thankyou SO fuckin' much for the WEDDING GIFT, you drunk idiot! What the hell?" Vin raged. He'd had a fair bit to drink, himself but not so much that the sight of J.J. breaking down didn't affect him. He curbed his rant.</p>
<p>Fischer gave Vaughn a clean towel, who used it to apply onto Vin's face.</p>
<p>'Hold it until it stops bleeding, then I will look at it.'<br/>
Vin held the towel as best as he could, while Vaughn reached into his leather waist bag, that counted as a small first aid kit, for a hand sanitizer then checked what other supplies he had. </p>
<p>Vin tried to remove the towel, but was stopped by Vaughn's hand.</p>
<p>'Hold it for another 5 minutes.' He could feel that Vin had started shaking, so he said, 'Here, let me do it for you.'</p>
<p>After a few minutes, Vaughn removed the towel and looked at the damage. A raw, deep gash ran down his forehead and cheek. Luckily, it seemed, it had stopped at the top of his upper eyelid before continuing down below the eye but Vaughn couldn't tell if the lid had been punctured. The whole grill had been red hot so the edges were partly cauterized, which did not bode well for the scar it would most certainly leave behind.</p>
<p>'It's not looking good, you will need stitches. And a tetanus shot', he then turned to the others, 'Call the ambulance'.</p>
<p>'Why can't we just drive him to the hospital?', Fischer asked.</p>
<p>'Because all of us are too drunk to drive safely! Now go and call the fucking ambulance!', Vaughn raised his voice, making Fischer run into the house to call. He then turned to his cousin: 'Let me clean this up until help arrives', he said as he reached into his bag for a gauze and a cleaning solution. He then cleaned the cut of any dirt, then with another clean towel, cleaned the blood from his face.</p>
<p>'You're gonna be fine, Vinnie, we just need to get you to the ER. The doctor will stitch your cut', Vaughn said in a soothing tone, trying to calm his cousin down.</p>
<p>"Great," muttered Sparks. "We're all gonna miss Pam the Poledancer now. Goodbye, fifty bucks." Turning to J.J. he shouted,  "You owe me, Jarhead."</p>
<p>John-Jules was just sitting, rocking and crying. He managed to squeak out a couple of "I'm sorrys".</p>
<p>Ike came to kneel down beside Vin. "Anythin' I can do fer ya, Doc?"</p>
<p>'Yes, help me get Vin to sit on a chair', Vaughn responded, raising himself to his feet.<br/>
He and Ike helped Vin get up from the floor and got him to a nearby chair. Vin was still shaking and kept his left eye closed, but Vaughn assured him that his eye was okay and that he would get help. He rubbed his hand onto his cousin's shoulder, as a way to calm him down. He couldn't resist sparing a deadly glare towards the pathetic form of J.J. He knew that grief combined with alcohol does terrible things to the mind, but to destroy a grill and hurt someone with just one clumsy movement? He is too unpredictable to be left unattended. How did he even act whilst on duty? Vaughn became worried for his cousin's safety around J.J.</p>
<p>The guys milled around, tidying up whilst they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Fischer called a taxi and took John-Jules home.</p>
<p>"What got into J.J. tonight, Vonnie?" asked Vin out of the right side of his mouth. "Somethin' upset him. I've never seen him so loaded! How many freakin' beers did he have?"</p>
<p>Vaughn did not know the number of beers he'd had, but a quick look towards the almost empty cooler gave him an answer…but he knew what might have really caused his behavior. He then thought that because of him, the party was ruined, and his cousin will likely have a long scar across his face. How to explain <i>that</i> to Nora? But first, how to explain it to Vin?</p>
<p>'I'm sorry.', Vaughn murmured.</p>
<p>"What for, cuz?"</p>
<p>'I know why he acted like that. Because of me. And now the party is ruined.</p>
<p>"You're not makin' any sense..and I'm not that drunk."</p>
<p>'He... tried to flirt with me as soon as he found out I'm no longer with Tom. But I refused him. I guess he can't take no as an answer. I'm just so sorry,' Vaughn said, feeling tears in his eyes. He was afraid that his cousin would blame him, and to be fair, he thought that he deserved it. He organized the party and it should been fun and relaxing for Vin.</p>
<p>Vin twisted round on the chair to look his cousin full in the face, as best he could with one eye covered. "Now you listen here. You did <i>nothing</i> wrong, y'hear me? In fact, I'm proud of you, Vonnie."</p>
<p>'F-for what? I did... I did nothing but create problems! And Nora will be angry at me 'cause I was supposed to take care of you. You aren't making any sense', he blurted out, feeling his eyes heavy with tears.</p>
<p>Vincent squeezed his cousin's shoulder. "I'm proud of you because you said 'No'. You held your ground, man. Now you're clearing up J.J.'s mess. He was the one who responded to rejection by being an irresponsible jerk. Nora's gonna be mad at him."</p>
<p>Sirens sounded.</p>
<p>"That's my ride. Hey, Ike? Make sure Sparks puts a tarp over Mistress for me? I'll pick her up when they've put me back together."</p>
<p>"Sure thing, Tumbler. Don't you worry none."</p>
<p>"Come on, Vaughn. Let's go see some pretty nurses. Well, it's still my bachelor party, after all!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Following this, read the Prequel, Vincent, Undefined and the main fic series Vincent, Redefined.</p>
<p>A huge thanks to my own 'Blue' who has written her parts not in her native tongue! Writing by roleplaying via chat is so much fun, moreso since our OCs are not alive in each others AUs by the beginning of the game story. We get to allow them to hang out with each other, Vinnie &amp; Vonnie, chalk and cheese but close as brothers.</p>
<p>I had to explain that scar!</p>
<p>- J.J. was very sorry and paid for an expensive Stimpak. The scarring was still pretty bad but serving under Staff Sergeant Hudson meant that J.J. was reminded everyday to keep himself together. He served admirably until his death at Anchorage.<br/>- Nora was angry for a while but thought Vin still handsome even with the scar. She started the story about it being a war wound.<br/>- Vaughn found his prince charmings eventually and was able to love without fear...in his AU. In Vin's world? Well, that story hasn't yet been told.</p>
<p>Do leave comments, either here or on Tumblr @theartofblossoming or @radioactive-synth</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>